Workshop and Fabrication

The School’s workshop facilities are in the basement of the Lasserre Building. A comprehensive joinery shop, a 3D printer, and a CNC routing machine provide a compliment of equipment regularly available to all students. One laser cutter is located on the third floor of the Lasserre building; a second one is located in the Landscape Architecture Annex. These support facilities also provide a focus to particular design studio and course requirements on an as-needed basis. After an orientation and purchase of accident insurance, students and faculty are free to use the workshop, with instructions provided based on user needs. In addition, certain tools are available for overnight or weekend loan.

Materials for sale

The workshop sells some basic materials for the convenience of students. Stock includes Baltic birch plywood, basswood, formaldehyde-free MDF, and acrylic in various thicknesses. In addition, polyurethane foam for CNC milling is available in various sizes.

3D printer

The School's 3D Printer is a compliment to the workshop tools and CNC machine, and can be used for building detailed models that would be hard to realize by traditional means. The 3D Printer builds up parts by laying down layers of a plaster-like powder and accurately squirting glue on areas which create very thin sections of the part. Because the process is additive it allows for undercuts or hollow objects. 

The machine works quite slowly and after the part is complete time is required for excess water to evaporate and the glue to reach full hardness. For that reason builds are started in the evening and the parts are extracted the following morning. Most parts will need to have cyanoacrylate (Krazy Glue) or resin applied to further harden the model.

  • Materials: provided
  • Maximum envelope: 8” x 10” x 8” high (203mm x 254mm x 203mm). Multiple objects can be built together.

The cost is $4.00/cubic inch with an $8.00 minimum charge.

CNC

The School has a three-axis CNC router capable of cutting out parts in 2D or mill shapes out of material in 3D. Because the process is subtractive and the machine operates on three axes only, there can be no undercuts.

  • Materials: Wood products, plastics
  • Maximum horizontal dimensions of material: 45” x 80” (1143mm x 2032mm). Sizes of up to 48” x 96” can be cut by prior arrangement.
  • Maximum thickness: ~10” (254mm). Maximum thickness for 2D cuts is about 3” (75mm).

Fees for CNC time are $10/hour with a $5 minimum charge. Polyurethane foam for 3D milling is available from the workshop.

Laser cutters

The School's two laser cutters are located in the basement of the Lasserre Building and in the Landscape Architecture Annex, respectively. The devices can quickly and accurately engrave or 2D cut material using energy from a CO2 laser.

  • Materials: any paper or card stock, acrylic, plywood, solid basswood, or jelutong.
  • Maximum horizontal dimensions of material: 16” x 28” (400mm x 710mm).
  • Maximum thickness: ¼” (6mm).

The laser is available 12 periods a week, mostly in the afternoon and evening. Sign-up is for 30 minute slots. The cost is $0.30/min with a $5.00 minimum charge.